With the playoffs sitting on the horizon, there are big-time implications for Sunday’s action in NFL Week 14, and these will be the headlines after the fact.
The 2018 season is coming to an end faster than Nathan Perterman’s NFL career, which means teams are looking to close out the season on a high note. There are some vying for home field advantage in the playoffs and others in the hunt for a Wild Card spot entering NFL Week 14.
The Sunday Night Football matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears is the marquee game for many in NFL Week 14. That game will feature two studs on defense with Aaron Donald and Khail Mack for the Rams and Bears, respectively.
For others, the big matchup will be between the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs. This contest features the league’s best defense taking on the Chiefs’ high-octane offense. And let’s not forget the hugely important NFC East clash between the rival Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles.
Whatever happens on Sunday, it will have a ripple effect on the postseason picture. Thus, let’s predict the headlines that will be written after NFL Week 14 is all but in the books on Monday morning.
10. Bears-Rams ends in high scoring affair
Khalil Mack and Aaron Donald are the stars of the matchup between the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams. After all, they are neck in neck when it comes to the 2018 NFL Defensive Player of the Year race.
But it’s the offenses who carried these teams to prominence. Both offenses rank inside the top five in terms of scoring. The Rams have a quarterback in Jared Goff, who’s on pace to throw for over 30 touchdowns and 4,500 yards. Meanwhile, Matt Nagy’s offense will again be led by Mitch Trubisky as the Bears’ second-year quarterback returns.
As such, despite the defensive talent on the field, this will be an offensive-minded affair to close out Sunday where both teams are going to hang big numbers up on the scoreboard.
9. Ravens defense fuels big win at Arrowhead
Patrick Mahomes has played and destroyed some of the league’s best defenses. However, he hasn’t played anyone quite like the Baltimore Ravens — and he definitely hasn’t played them without Kareem Hunt and Sammy Watkins.
The Kansas City Chiefs are coming in hot. Teams only hope to contain them because they can’t be stopped…or, at least, teams that are not the Ravens. They have a team that doesn’t allow the run to happen. Over the last three games, teams averaged 3.0 yards per carry on the ground.
Over that same time span, quarterbacks have completed just 52 percent of their passes. And while they had a few hiccups, teams average just 17.8 points per game against the Baltimore defense. Mahomes can sling the rock, but don’t expect him to throw for more than two touchdowns in this matchup.
The Ravens will control the clock and play bully ball, flying high in the end.